ADAM LALLANA will miss the start of the Premier League season after suffering a knee injury in training, Liverpool have confirmed.

The £25m summer signing from Southampton is facing six weeks on the sidelines, although the club initially feared he could be out for longer.

The England play-maker, 26, was hurt in a training session at Harvard University on Thursday.

Initial fears from club medical staff would be that he would need surgery to correct the lateral collateral ligament damage suffered.

But scans yesterday showed that would not be required and it will be a six-week lay-off for the midfielder.

Lallana was due to pull on a Liverpool shirt for the first time on Sunday against Olympiakos in Chicago.

The England international hadn't featured in previous pre-season games as he only returned to training this week following the World Cup.

Lallana may not make his Reds debut until they host Aston Villa on September 13.

He could also miss England's opening Euro 2016 qualifier against Switzerland on September 8.

Lallana’s former Southampton team- mate, Dejan Lovren, will join him at Liverpool after a £20m deal was finalised yesterday.

The Croatia defender is the third player the Reds have bought from the Saints this summer after Rickie Lambert also made the switch.

In contrast to fellow new arrivals Loic Remy and Divock Origi, who travelled to the for their medicals, Lovren will have his in Liverpool today. All being well, Lovren will join up with the squad in New York next week.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has been chasing Lovren all summer as he tries to improve a defence that conceded 50 goals in the Premier League last season.

His signing takes Rodgers’ summer spending close to £100m, with the arrivals of Remy and Origi expected to be officially announced over the weekend.